The Neo-Weberian State in Italy: Understanding the Influence of Populist Government, EU Administrative Reform Support Policy, and Digitalization

This article argues that administrative reforms in Italy over the period 2001–2024 provide a case of special significance for investigating key profiles of the Neo-Weberian State (NWS) in relation to three important domains. The first pertains to the relationship of the NWS to politics/party ideology: Italy is a case of populist parties, both right-wing and left-wing, governing either separately or jointly, thereby providing an apt case for studying the impact of populist government on the functioning of a Neo-Weberian administration. Second, the case of Italy allows for the investigation of the implications of the embeddedness of a NWS administrative system into a broader, supranational governance system (the European Union). Third, the NWS characteristics shape and are shaped by digital government. Key findings point to, first, the bureaucracy in NWS very limitedly acting as guardian of liberal democracy and the rule of law, at least in the factual case of Italy, while leaving open the possibility that a pure, ideal-typical NWS might perform such guardianship role. Second, the European Union, itself a Neo-Weberian administration, plays a role in the diffusion and strengthening of the NWS in its Member States. Third, the NWS interplays with digitalization processes, shaping and being shaped by them.